PLATTSMOUTH – The National Weather Service in Valley, Neb., has issued a flood warning for all of Cass County, as well as other area counties in Nebraska and Iowa, as water has overflowed the Missouri and Platte rivers at record levels.

The warning was issued at 9:45 a.m. Friday and stays into effect until 9:45 a.m. Saturday.

Besides Cass County, the warning is also in effect for Sarpy, Saunders and Otoe counties in Nebraska, and Mills and Pottawattamie counties in Iowa.

A flood warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring, according to the weather service, and that all parties that may be impacted should take the necessary precautions immediately.

Upon issuing the flood warning at 9:45 a.m. Friday, the weather service said in its press release that “residual extensive flooding continues today, as rivers and streams expand to areas unaccustomed to flooding. Travel is still hazardous, and is discouraged. Please do not drive across flooded roadways.”

Plattsmouth is among specific locations that will experience flooding, according to the weather service.

Indeed, flooding in the Plattsmouth area along the banks of the Missouri River has reached record levels, according to the weather service.

A record height of 37.15 feet, more than 11 feet above flood stage, was recorded at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, according to weather service. The local flood stage is 26 feet. The previous record was 36.73 feet on June 30, 2011.

“Record flooding is occurring and record flooding is forecast,” the weather service said. “The river will remain around 37.2 feet today (Friday).”

At 35 feet, wells for the city of Plattsmouth begin to be impacted by floodwaters, according to the weather service.

A water emergency remains in effect for the City of Plattsmouth. It was issued by City Administrator Erv Portis and Mayor Paul Lambert. The emergency is effective immediately, they jointly said in a press release to the Plattsmouth Journal.

All non-sanitary, non-essential use of water must be discontinued, they said.

Earlier, the two recommended that residents living in flood prone areas evacuate as soon as possible as dozens of acres in the eastern part of the city were under water. This was especially true on Main Street east of the railroad tracks.

According to Portis and Lambert, the city’s water treatment plant has been inundated by rising flood waters, and to protect the plant from further damage, the plant will be shut down as soon as is safely possible, they added.

They request that customers refrain from filling receptacles and taking other such storage measures. Plattsmouth has an emergency connection with Cass County Water District No. 1 to provide water on a short-term, restricted-use basis. Customer cooperation is appreciated, they said.

They also recommended that people, including sightseers, stay out of that flood area.

“Flood waters are rising faster than anticipated,” Portis said.

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